7 Quick Takes: July 13, 2012

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— 1 —

Virgin 7 Quick Taker here. I feel like I should say, “Long time stalker, first time linker.” I’m pretty sure Jennifer forced me into it. She totally called me out on her blog. We will be at the birthday party this weekend and I am 100% looking forward to it. I’m quite certain my children will cause some mayhem of their own. This should be fun.

— 2 —

It was a lovely week at Casa Whitaker. We finished up our last session with our 9th Sponsor Couple (we work with engaged couples from our parish). There’s something about a young couple, eager to get married and obviously in love, that reminds an old married couple like Scott and I why we married in the first place. We often say that the program is better for our marriage than the sponsor couple’s. Well, that, and no lightning hit the house and caught it on fire while we talked about NFP. That’s a definite win (true story, another blog post).

— 3 —

Luke, our youngest, said another 3-word sentence this week: “Me do go!” For a kid who’s been in speech therapy for 10 months and occupational therapy for 17, that just makes my heart happy. Go, Luke, go!

— 4 —

On the downside, we found out we have to add another specialist (insert heavy sigh here) to the mix. Just when we though we ditched physical therapy, we’re back. He’s not dragging his right leg, but it’s definitely weaker, as is his core. I’m hopeful that it just means more PT and it has nothing to do with his tethered cord we surgically corrected about a year ago.

— 5 —

But, what am I complaining about? A sweet NICU friend of ours, Katrina, gave birth to a healthy, FULL-term little boy this week. They were home in two days. Awesome and amazing considering their first little boy spent 192 days in the NICU. When I saw her “going home” photo on Facebook, I teared up. Only a momma who’s been in that horrible place with her preemie knows how sweet a “normal” birth can be. And, it’s a question I get all the time, “Kathryn, I have a friend in the NICU, what can I do?” Here’s your answer/s.

— 6 —

For two stellar quotes from child #3, here goes.

“Did you scrape your knees? You know, when your parents kicked you out?”Anna-Laura on turning 18. Perhaps we need to cover that topic again.

“Dad’s eggs are kinda better.”Anna-Laura on my cooking skills. Looks like somebody is getting cereal the rest of the summer.

— 7 —

How these lovely photos of Father’s Day didn’t make it on the blog is beyond me.

It could be worse news, I was just hoping to shake specialists, not add them. I know you understand 😉 And, that shirt is one of Scott’s favorites, too! You know it’s a winner when your husband says, “I like that shirt on you.”

#3: YAY!!!!!!!! Those seemingly normal milestones are always VERY BIG DEALS with preemies and kids with developmental delays.

#4: That stinks but it’s probably for the best. I know how incredibly happy we were when my son Daniel’s hematologist “kicked us out” out of his practice.

#5: Yay!!!! I still remember Daniel’s “going home” picture. My mom’s shutter clicked just as he projectile-vomited so we can actually see the puke leaving his mouth. Most people would have been mortified — we just laughed because it was so minor after everything we had been through. 3 years later, I still laugh as I see the picture.

HOWDY and welcome to life at Team Whitaker where I share life as it happens: big families, carpool, Catholicism,Texas Aggies, prematurity, DIY/organizing projects, sanity checks and the occasional glass of wine at 10am. You get real Kathryn. Unedited, honest and a little sassy. It's a Texas-sized honor to have you here! Contact me at [email protected]{Read More}